SAN FRANCISO – The American Civil Liberties Union of California, fresh off an investigation that showed police agencies used sophisticated social media tools to surveil protest groups, hope their findings lead to greater national reflection and better public oversight.

MACHIPONGO, VIRGINIA – The founder of an organization formed to protect chickens from cruelty says her group will be back in court after a federal judge recently lifted an order preventing the performance of kapparos – a slaughter done in a religious ritual fashion – in Irvine, California.

SANGER – The president and CEO of the Central California Almond Growers Association said the recent decision to ban Bayer’s Belt pesticide could have unintended consequences as growers will seek alternatives for killing the bugs that eat their plants.

SAN JOSE – A critic of the pharmaceutical
industry says liberal interpretation of U.S. patent laws has led to the wasteful infighting displayed recently between drug-makers Merck and Gilead in a case decided earlier this month by a Northern California federal judge.